


Through the Rain

by teamfreefish (team_free_fish)



Series: Summer Rain and Bittersweet Clouds [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Humanstuck, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-12-08 21:44:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/766363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/team_free_fish/pseuds/teamfreefish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there's one thing one should know about John Egbert, it's that he'll break your heart. Whether he knows it, or just hasn't noticed yet, pity the Karkat who decided to love him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Summer Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Cheesy title, sorry. But rain is a beautiful thing, so screw all the clever titles that could have been. I just want to write a few stories in the same Humanstuck universe revolving around my OTPs. Maybe I'll add some one shots about Dave and Dirk fights later and Rosemary, etc.

If there is one thing anyone should know about John Egbert, it’s that he’ll break your heart. Whether he knows it, or just still hasn’t noticed, pity the guy who decided to love him. That’s not to say that he’s a bad person. Just to say that loving him is like trying to love an adorable guillotine. But despite this, the mistake of loving him is an easy one, with his attractive personality and adorable face, the way that he talks, even the way he watches his favourite movies so unironically loving them, and the way that he hangs on every second as if he had never seen it before.

The mistake part is, he’s only your best friend. Nothing more. The looks mean nothing, the way he lets you hold him means nothing. The way that you spend two nights a week in the same bed means nothing to him. Just best friends. And that’s all it will ever be. Best friends.

The time when ‘best friends,’ such an utterly fun and heartwarming phrase, a phrase that would normally only be used to make people feel great and express a great friendship, is turned into the last words one would want to hear. And in the words of John Egbert, “We’re best friends.”

So, it was May. The college was on vacation, apart from the summer school students and the teachers still working during the summer. It was rainy pretty much year long, though not so much in the summer. Although, there was a general feeling that this year would have more showers than usual, especially considering that it had already rained twice this week.

Karkat drove home from his part time job as a waiter at an average restaurant downtown. He hated it, but somehow he was hired and he got good money. Considering that his dad was dead, his mom had been gone for ages, probably off in Vegas or LA or something like that, and his aunt left him the house he lived in and only a bit of money, he had student loans he needs to pay. He was just glad his aunt was old enough to have paid off the mortgage before she ran off to who knows where.

Dave was in the car with him. He sometimes got Karkat to pick him up and go back to Karkat’s place, because Dave often had brother issues and Dave always preferred it at Karkat’s place. Karkat tried to keep him off the subject of his brother by bitching about the annoying customer who wouldn’t stop rambling his ass off about triggers and talking to him like he was a devout follower of the red sweater asshole cult that likes to insult people by defending them.

Typically, when Dave started talking about his brother, Karkat would just nod and say the occasional “mmhmm” and keep on driving. Karkat once tried to talk Dave down while driving, which didn’t end particularly well, so Karkat only shuts him up when in the safety of his own home, where Dave wasn’t so prone to nearly killing people in a 3000 pound hunk of metal going at 45 miles an hour.

They picked up tacos on the way home, Dave requesting that they get the really shitty Dorito-shell tacos. Karkat rolled his eyes and complied. They went home, ate, Sollux stopped by later, and then Karkat dropped Dave off at his apartment downtown. Karkat didn’t mind. It was nice to have the company of good friends, especially after Gamzee moved out.

It was when he got home that he started talking to John. He did, every few days around that time, when John wasn’t working. It was Tuesday, so it was one of the few days he was able to talk to John. He wouldn’t admit it, but it was one of the best parts of his day. Sollux would sometimes give him shit about it. Not in a mean way, more just lisp-ily teasing Karkat about his small crush on the guy. Karkat denied it, but both Sollux and Karkat knew he was right.

Karkat threw on movie and slept afterwards. Sollux stayed up on Karkat’s computer doing whatever the hell Sollux does. He was still there when Karkat woke up for work the next day.


	2. Being John Egbert

John Egbert was the sort of guy to spend his summers dicking around, watching shitty movies (totally awesome in his opinion, but let’s be serious, no one but him can unironically like the movie Con Air much less practically worship it), playing random games, occasionally hanging out with either Dave, Jade, Rose or all three, so long as he wasn’t working. His hours changed depending on what day it was, and Thursday was his day off. Tuesday today.

He got off his shift at the one sandwich place just South of the bustle of downtown. The dorms were only a little bit further South than that, so walking wasn’t a problem. Sandwiches. Subway wasn’t the most amazing place to work at , but it helped to have a bit of money.

Some days, depending on what time John got out of work, he’d be able to talk to Karkat. Karkat was a good friend. A bit angry practically 24/7, but honestly pretty funny and fun to talk to. John was glad that Karkat had gotten over the “I hate you, you’re stupid” thing, and now John and Karkat were pretty good friends, talking about the most useless bullshit in the world every few days. It almost surprised John to see how much Karkat had lightened up around him as of late, and he was glad they could get along so well in the end.

Karkat had been hanging out with Dave a lot, and John knew it was because of Dave’s bro, mostly, but John couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit jealous of Karkat. Dave had been acting rather upset around John for awhile, and then Dave’s brother problems started flaring up, so he assumed that was part of it, but Dave had just been less close to John since. He had no idea why, but then he started hanging out with Karkat a lot more, so what could John say, he was definitely a little jealous.

John didn’t really have much going on. It was summer, and it was just an average day. John worried about Rose, but she seemed to spend more time with Kanaya than anything else, so as far as concern goes, he thought Kanaya could take care of her. Jade was also having a decently boring summer, and mostly kept to herself.

So, to pass the general lull of life, he went on a Cusack movie marathon. He was going backwards in Cusack’s career, starting off with Being John Malkovich because he had watched a few last night and this morning, and would continue to watch Cusack movies in reverse order by year until he fell asleep to the sound of the rain and the underdog action of John Cusack. Such was the life of John Egbert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I hate beginning chapters and might rush through the next few like I did with these. Apologies.


	3. Shithole Maggot-filled Debt Drains

Karkat dragged himself out of bed when the alarm went off, groggily shuffling to the kitchen, where Sollux was perched at the island, in front of Karkat’s computer.

“Do you ever fucking sleep?” Karkat asked as he lazily reached for a bowl, cereal, and opened the fridge for milk.

Sollux grunted in response, and Karkat sat down across from him, pouring the cereal and milk into the bowl. Once he was settled, Sollux stated, “You forgot a spoon.”

Karkat then indignantly got up to get to the drawer containing silverware, sat back down, and let out a quiet “Fuck you” before starting to eat.

The short taps of the keyboard in front of Sollux sounded abrasive and rather irritating to Karkat.

“For all your fucking complaining about how shitty my computer is, you can’t seem to bring your own damn computer every time you come over.”

“I would if I could, asshole.” Sollux didn’t look up at Karkat.

“You’ve got like three laptops for fuck’s sake!”

Sollux looked up, only to point a death glare at Karkat.

“Not anymore,” Sollux quietly stated, then looked back down at the screen.

“What the hell do you mean ‘not anymore’?”

“I needed the money.”

“How desperate are you? You sold your fucking computers for money? If you needed something, you could have asked me, you know.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to fucking impose. I can find another place in time, and if not, I can stay in the cheap motel on 8th.”

“Wait, you were evicted?”

“Relax. I can take care of it.”

Sollux got up and got another bowl from the cabinet, a spoon, and got cereal for himself.

“How many days?”

“I need to be out by the 30th.”

“You’re moving in.”

“What? No, I--”

“Shut the fuck up, you’re moving your unattractive waste-of-space ass in here, don't argue, I will drag you kicking and screaming. That’s all.”

“KK, you don’t have to, I can find another apartment.”

“Shut the fuck up. I’m not leaving you to shove your life down a fucking shithole maggot-filled debt drain.”

“Really, I don’t want--”

“SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP.”

They ate in silence for a good five minutes. Karkat was not going to let Sollux win this argument.

“So, how is John?” Sollux awkwardly asked.

“Fine.”

“You taking him to that party on the 4th?”

Karkat lightly blushed, picked up his empty bowl, and put everything in the dishwasher.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not like that.”

“And it never will be at this rate. You fucking hated him, and now you’ve got a awkward boy crush on the dude, and won’t even ask him to the party he’ll inevitably already be going to.”

“Fuck you.”

Karkat walked back to his bedroom, got dressed, and when he was ready to leave for work Karkat asked,

“You going to be gone when I get back?”

“Yeah.”

“Go out the back, I’m not letting you leave the fucking front door unlocked.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Karkat rolled his eyes, closed the door, locked it, and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating. I am bad about that, and I'm working on some other projects as well. I'll try to get the next chapter out today or sometime in the near future.


	4. Shenanigans Ensued

Sollux was indeed gone when Karkat got home. He threw his keys half-heartedly on the island, landing loudly. He walked to the sliding glass back door, locked it, and went to his room to pick out a movie.

He was watching _The Truth About Cats and Dogs_ , and a little bit before the first phone sex scene, he got a call from Dave.

“What?” Karkat asked, mildly annoyed.

“Do you think you can come and pick me up?” Dave asked, sounding desperate.

“Why?” Karkat had already decided on picking him up, but it was always good to know why someone is calling before you go to swoop in and rescue them.

“I just can’t fucking be here right now.”

“You in front of your apartment?” Kakat got up, grabbed the keys from off the counter, giving a slightly abrasive jingle as they moved.

“Yeah.”

“Give me 15 minutes.”

“Okay.”

Karkat ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket. He locked the door behind him, and cursed the light rain as he exited. Three times this week. Jesus, how much rain can you get over here?

Dave was sitting on a bench, getting his hair wet with the drizzle. As he saw Karkat’s car nearing, he immediately straightened up. He picked up the messenger bag carrying some of his things and began trotting to Karkat’s car, getting in the passenger side.

“What the hell is this about?” Karkat asked.

“Bro,” Dave said, and gave no intention of saying any more about the topic.

“Chinese food on the way home. Usual?”

“Yeah, sure.”

They pulled up to the Chinese place just West of where John worked. Karkat went inside while Dave stayed in the car, quietly focusing on his fingernails for the time being.

“Orange chicken, Chow Mein, and an order of rice to go,” Karkat said to the cashier at the register, who had spiked up hair with red tips.

“Bangarang. Get that right up...” The cashier stuck a slip of paper on the counter behind him. He had a dumb smile with all his teeth as another customer walked through the door. Karkat didn’t recognize her.

“Hey, doll, I’ll get to you in a min.” The cashier said, looking at the customer behind Karkat.

Looking back at Karkat, he made the transaction, and as the brown bag was handed to Karkat, Karkat walked out as fast as he could, being annoyed with the general prospect of people.

He got back into the car, almost startling Dave, and they went home.

“You’re calm,” Dave said playfully as they went inside.

“I’m just really fucking tired.”

“Hmm. I was mostly surprised you didn’t come out of the restaurant screaming.”

“Can I make you a nice, steaming cup of shut the fuck up?”

Dave rolled his eyes and opened up the box of orange chicken, eating with those really shitty plastic forks they give you. Karkat actually got up and ate with a real fork. Sometimes, he gets too pissed of at the plastic ones. It’s actually quite amusing.

Karkat reached for the remote to continue the still-paused movie.

“Oh my god, don’t tell me I have to sit through another one of these horribly predictable rom-coms.” Dave said, with with disdain.

“Only half of one, and don’t forget I was your escape for the night, so don’t come complaining about how shitty my movies are. Besides, this one’s pretty fucking good.”

Dave got up halfway through Karkat talking to see what was in the fridge beverage-wise.

“You don’t have any aj. What kind of a person doesn’t have aj? I thought I asked if you could go pick some up for the next time I was here.”

“Don’t complain about the contents of my fridge, either, shitface! If you can’t handle drinking Coke rather than some fucking apple juice, then get out.”

Dave grabbed a red can with mild disappointment.

“Get me one, too.”

“Fuck you,” Dave said, getting another red can.

“You too, assmaggot.”

“What the hell is an assmaggot?” Dave asked, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous Karkat’s insults were.

“You are the assmaggot, it’s you.”

Dave plopped down on the sofa next to Karkat, and they both ate in silence as the rest of the shitty movie played out.

It finally came to an end, there were empty white Chinese take out boxes on the coffee table, which Karkat got up to throw away. Dave liked that Karkat kept most of the house well kept, even if his room was less so.

“Hey, thanks.” Dave said.

“Yeah, sure.”

“I mean it. I really wouldn’t have been able to stand it in that apartment tonight.”

“Yeah. You going to be here for long?”

“No, I might go back to the apartment tomorrow, or I’ll stay in that shitty motel over on--”

“What is it with you fucking people and that one shitty motel over on 8th street? I mean seriously, are you guys just drawn to the mystifying promise of roaches and ice cold water?”

“I think it’s mostly because they are the easiest motel to get away with fake credit cards and selling booze to eighteen year olds. It’s like fucking soap opera motel up in there.”

“Whatever, that makes no sense.”

“Maybe it’s because of the fact that there needs to be that one cliché, really crappy motel just for people to go and sort their shit out.”

“You’re weird.”

“Fuck you, too, Karkat.”

“Fuck!”

“What?”

“I was supposed to talk to John.”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“What?” Karkat curtly asked, not understanding what was so weird about forgetting to talk to John.

“Dude. It’s not the end of the world.”

“Yeah, but it’s kind of really fucking disappointing when you don’t talk to him.”

“Oh man.”

“What?”

“You like him.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m so sorry, dude. That sucks, man.”

“What?”

“Don’t fall in love with John Egbert. Shit gets nasty.”

“How do you know?” Karkat kept a contemptuous voice.

“I did. Fucking shitstorm of bad feelings all around.”

“Well, I’m not in love with him, so fuck you.” It’s true. It was only a mild thing. Not like he was head over heels in love with John. Besides, there was a point when he thought John was positively the worst human being in existence.

“Give it a month or so.” Dave had his poker face in full force. Not a sliver of emotion was getting through.

“Fuck you.”

This time Dave raised his eyebrows suggestively (he pushed his glasses down slightly to make a point of the elevated eyebrows), and Karkat crossed his arms and gave him a glare.

“Aw, come on, don’t be like that.”

Dave closed the gap between them, leaned in, and...

He stole the phone in Karkat’s pocket, absconding to Karkat’s room, fully expecting Karkat to follow. He did, with an enraged expression.

Dave sat on the bed teasingly, with phone in hand, waving it around.

He then stopped waving it, and unlocked the phone, and was trying to find any and all messages from John. However, Karkat attempted to tackle him, which just ended up in them both rolling around trying to get or keep the phone.

Eventually they got tired, and Dave set it down.

“Hey,” Dave said.

“Hey dickface,” Karkat replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the ending was abrupt for this chapter. I tried to do a thing where I implied they did a thing but didn't actually outright say they did the thing. You know, the thingy thing. Bangarang.
> 
> Haha feel my evil ways of denying readers gay porn.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to AnarchicMalcontent for being my beta.


End file.
